Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Most of the world's seventeen billion people are unconscious, perpetually serving their employers as part of massive brain trusts. The ecosystem has collapsed, and corporations control all of the world's resources and governments. A bedraggled alcoholic known as the Prophet predicts nineteen year-old waitress Eadie will lead a revolution, but how can she prevail when hunted by a giant corporation and the Federal Angels it directs?

EXCERPT:

The man’s mouth hung open as he stared at her face. His long, ashen hair had shifted, revealing a smudge of grease or dirt that made an almost perfect circle on his forehead.“Sir? Are you all right?”His eyes widened. “It is you,” he said. “At last. I have been looking forward to meeting you for such a long, long time.”“Oh, yeah, sorry it took me so long to get to your table, sir. I just clocked in.”He blinked slowly, pondering her response. “Ah,” he said. “You are a waitress, still. Well, then, General, I would have a cup of Vibrantia, if it pleases you.” The man’s expression never altered and his lips remained mostly still as he spoke, making it seem as though his voice was coming from somewhere or someone else.Eadie clenched her teeth, trying not to laugh, though his words made her feel as though she was being tickled with a feather along her spine. “I’m sorry, sir. This is a corporate restaurant owned by McGuillian Corporation, so we synthesize only McGuillian patents. We have Synapsate but not Vibrantia. Would that be all right?”“Of course, General. That would be lovely, if it pleases you.” “Okay, sir. And my name is Eadie, by the way.” “Thank you, General Eadie. And, if you like, you may address me as many have lately come to do. I am the Prophet.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Mark D. Diehl writes novels about power dynamics and the way people
and organizations influence each other. He believes that obedience and
conformity are becoming humanity’s most important survival skills, and that we
are thus evolving into a corporate species.

Diehl has: been homeless in Japan, practiced law
with a major multinational firm in Chicago, studied in Singapore, fled South
Korea as a fugitive, and been stranded in Hong Kong.

After spending most of his youth running around
with hoods and thugs, he eventually earned his doctorate in law at the
University of Iowa and did graduate work in creative writing at the University
of Chicago. He currently lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Trapped
on a planet not their own, the Petiri spend their lives hiding the natural
gifts that set them apart from the world.
They live long and unfulfilled lives, unable to find their soul mates on
this backward planet known as Earth.
That is until the night Ramose comes face to face with Tamara, a woman
whose gifts rival his own. Determined to
find why this human is in possession of an ancient magical Petiri relic, he
arranges a meeting.

But
Tamara, embittered from past events, is wary despite lifelong dreams of Ramose
and a sure knowledge he is her soul mate.
Before long the couple find themselves ensnared in a battle that has
raged for millennia in Egypt’s desert.
Set, Egyptian God of Chaos, is determined to take his just due: the
throne of Osiris.

The
only way to stop him is for Ramose to put his trust in Tamara, but first must
gain the same from her. The ensuing
sensual relationship is filled with romance, lust and love. Their relationship is tested by an unnatural
evil. Will her powers over fire, combined with his ice be enough to win the
day? Or will the ancient gods and
goddesses of Egypt destroy more than just their love?

Ramose ducked
and twisted his body, avoiding the flailing fist surging forward to contact
with his jaw. With one quick upper cut, he cracked his opponent beneath his
chin. The man’s head jerked back, blood spurting from a bitten lip.

“Had enough
yet?” asked Ramose.

Darius spat,
his bloody spittle spattering the blue floor mat. “I had enough a long time
ago. But, then again, you need to have your ass kicked lately.”

Ramose
grinned. “Let’s see you try,” he said, snatching a pair of swords from the rack
on the wall and tossing one to Darius. He was the Master of Defense for his
people. He was responsible for teaching them the in’s and out’s of
self-defense. It was what kept them alert and safe.

At least, he
liked to think it was what kept them safe. It was probably more luck than
anything. Unlike their arrival on this planet more than three thousand five
hundred years ago.

“I still
don’t understand why you find it so necessary to teach me combat,” repeated
Darius for what had to be the fifth time since they’d begun. Ramose sliced
forward with his blade, and the man danced away. The sharp edge whizzed past
Darius’s ear, slicing a few hairs from the side of his head. The man didn’t
blink, but readied his sword for the next attack. “I’ve lasted this long
without it, why now?”

Impressed
with his pupil’s quick defensive moves, Ramose charged, sending the man off
balance. He needed this as much as Darius did. Inside, his nerves sang with an
intensity he couldn’t begin to understand.

Darius dodged
his advance with a neat parry.

“I’ve told
you, things are changing.” Gods, how he wished he could give a good answer. So
much remained hidden. Premonitions had haunted Ramose’s thoughts for most of
his life. Tiny inklings of a future to come. Images or feelings which were
never clear, details blurred beneath the mists of the unknown. Right now, he
had the odd sensation of danger. And the focus was Darius.

“You’ve been
dreaming about her again, haven’t you?”

Ramose
frowned, and parried, the slide of blade against blade vibrated through his
muscles. “My dreams are unimportant and have no bearing on your future.”

Like the rest
of those on board the doomed Petiri vessel, Ramose had left any possibility of
finding his Kha-Ib on Petiri, waiting for his return. He’d never met her, but
he’d dreamed of her since childhood. The woman in his recent dreams couldn’t be
older than her mid-twenties. In most of the dreams, she was no more than a
child in her teens. Too young and too human to be the heart of his soul.

“She’s not my
Kha-Ib,” Ramose grumbled, slicing toward Darius.

“Whoever this
woman is, she haunts your sleep the way a ghost haunts an old graveyard. Elo is
trying to tell you something.”

“Our god
deserted us the moment we arrived on this backward planet. He’s telling me
nothing.” Their blades clanged together, and they both leapt back.

“You’re
deluding yourself, Ramose. And, until you admit it, you will never find peace.
Whoever this woman is, she’s not your wife.”

Ramose
rewarded the verbal jab with a physical one of his own, spinning about and
slamming a fist into the man’s solar plexus. The sudden flinch in Darius’ face
was a little too satisfying for comfort.

He’d never
loved his wife, not the way a Petiri would love his Kha-Ib. True, every Petiri
dreamed of his Kha-Ib, just like he had. Years ago. But those dreams had
stopped the moment he’d given up on ever finding the one meant for him.

Loneliness
had wrapped its velvet fist around him, driving him to long for what he would
never have. He’d decided to accept second best. Everything had gone horribly
wrong. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn’t forget the anger brought
on by his wife’s death. A death she’d intended for him. Anger at the memories
coiled in his gut.

Ramose
balanced on the balls of his feet before striking forward again. Their blades
crashed together, their song of battle echoing through the room, sparks flying.

Ire burned in
Ramose’s gut, and his knuckles turned white on the pummel of his sword. Darius
was right. The dreams were getting to him. Dreams of a young girl in peril,
with a face he could never see. A human face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Born in
Atlanta, the daughter of an Army Soldier during the early stages of the Viet
Nam war, I spent my childhood traveling from state to state, finally ending up
overseas in Germany where I graduated high school six months early.

My writing
career however began as a young Airman in the Air Force, writing monthly
articles for the weekly base paper. The
articles ranged from climatological data to full center fold articles on the
destructive forces of hurricanes. As I
increased in rank, my writing changed to more technological instruction,
including such works as WSR-88D Doppler
Radar Data Interpretation Guide for North Carolina Stations, and Station
Operating Procedures.

But my early
writing wasn’t limited only to the technological side. I’ve written multiple dog training and
behavior articles for canine websites such as Sonora Canine Freestyle, and also
the Ask Blackjack column, a fun training column in the voice of my labrador
retriever, then a young pup.

My first
book, SheWolf, won 2nd place for Best First book in RWA’s PFF&P Prism
awards.

I’m married to a wonderful man named Doug, who
is also retired Air Force. We live in
North Carolina with our two dogs.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Award-winning
author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a
touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after
attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly
afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many
more titles by this up-and-coming author.

Book OneCassie Scot:Paranormal Detective

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Book Two:Secrets and Lies

Secrets and LiesCassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.
To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.

Now for the Interview:

Q. What part of the writing process do you dread?

A. Release day, but in a love/hate sort of way. Up until then, the book is fluid. Changeable. After that it's set. Immutable. I can live with any part of the writing process up until then, knowing I still have time to fix/change anything I've done.

Q. What is your favorite Joke?

A. Can a person have a favorite joke? The trouble with jokes is that if you hear them too many times, they stop being funny. I love to laugh – I'm particularly fond of satire humor which is why I watch The Daily Show. But I don't have a favorite joke and can't imagine I ever would.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Love For the Holidaysby Noelle Adams, Samantha Chase, Rachel Curtis and Zoe Yorka contemporary romance five book bundle available now.Blurb:From fake relationships to secret affairs to best friends falling in love, everything changes at Christmas.This holiday bundle includes five stories, from steamy to sweet, including two new, exclusive stories from New York Times bestselling authors.HOLIDAY HEAT by Noelle Adams - After being hit with heartbreaking tragedy, Carrie has thrown herself into a hot, secret relationship with Matt. With Christmas approaching, she realizes she might want even more from her sexy, damaged artist, but the boundaries around their relationship make anything deeper than sex impossible. A new, steamy romance.MISTLETOE BETWEEN FRIENDS by Samantha Chase - Lily and Cam have been friends all their lives, and their relationship has never been romantic. But when they pretend to be dating so they can spend the holiday with their families in peace, they realize their fake romance might actually be real. A new, sweet romance.THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE by Samantha Chase - Spending the night trapped by a blizzard in a romantic Christmas cottage with the man she's loved for years has Lacey wondering if fairy tales really do come true. A sweet romance.EIGHT CHRISTMAS EVES by Rachel Curtis - One Christmas Eve, Cyrus Owen, the over-indulged teenage son of a wealthy businessman, finds ten-year-old Helen on the side of the road. Eleven years later, he is desperately in love with her. This is how it happens... A mostly sweet romance.WHAT ONCE WAS PERFECT by Zoe York - For Laney, the worst part of returning to her hometown for Christmas is confronting Kyle, the man who broke her heart twelve years ago. When they rediscover their perfect chemistry, Kyle has to convince Laney to let him back into her heart. A steamy romance.And heres the GIVEAWAY!a Rafflecopter giveaway

ExcerptFrom Holiday
Heat by Noelle Adams

“Why is it so
hot in December?” she wailed, forcing herself past a faintly tender pull at the
sight of his sated eyes and relaxed body.

“Heat wave.
Some sort of tropical front. It’s moving up the east coast, from—”

“Oh, shut
up.”

Matt’s lips
quirked at her grumpy tone, but he didn’t continue his discourse on the
unseasonable December weather.

She shouldn’t
enjoy his company so much. She shouldn’t like him. She certainly shouldn’t
trust him with her body—or anything else.

There was no
future with him. He’d told her the first night they met that a real
relationship was impossible for him, and nothing about that had changed.

Being with
him wasn’t anything like being with Henry. It didn’t feel safe and familiar,
even after three months. She had no delusions about a future with Matt. She
never would have had sex with him at all if there had been any possibility of a
future.

“Next time,
I’ll pick the hotel,” he said, his eyes resting on her with a gaze that was
almost soft.

“No, I told
you before. When you’re involved in a sleazy affair, then you pick a motel
that’s appropriate for the occasion.”

He cocked an
eyebrow, obviously amused. “Is that what we’re doing? Having a sleazy affair?”

“Of course.”

“Neither one
of us is married. I’m not sure ‘affair’ is the correct term.”

“Of course it
is. You don’t have to be married to have an affair. It just needs to be
secret.” No one knew that Carrie was regularly screwing Matthew Lynch, and she
intended to keep it that way.

“I see.” He
looked eminently unconvinced. And still amused. And definitely superior.

“Don’t be an
ass.” When he opened his mouth to respond, she spoke over him. “You know
exactly what ass-like behavior I’m referring to.”

Since that
first night, they’d gotten together at least once a week for sex, although
recently they’d been getting together more often.

Matt was her
hot secret. Her shameless indulgence. Everyone thought she was quiet and
withdrawn—keeping to herself, working in her coffee shop, never taking risks.
No one would dream she’d have a casual affair with a gorgeous, notorious,
wounded artist.

Follow Me :)

About Me

Theresa M Jones is just a regular small town, Texas girl. When she isn't at work at a local Medical Equipment provider, you can find her at home with her husband and two beautiful (and rambunctious) kiddos.
In her spare time- as if there ever was such a thing as "spare time" - she reads and reviews books on her book blog, and writes paranormal romance novels.
POWER (The Descendent Trilogy #1) is her debut New Adult (Mature YA) Paranormal Romance novel.